NO SHORTAGE OF MOTIVATION FOR MEMPHIS

The hair is fading to gray and he has put on a couple of pounds since running things at UMass, but John Calipari hasn't changed when it comes to finding ways to motivate his Memphis team.

With one of the most stacked teams in the nation, Calipari, the former UMass coach, played the "we get no respect" card all season and into the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers, one of the most explosive, up-and-down-the-floor teams in the country, were ranked No. 1 before their lone loss, to in-state rival Tennessee on Feb. 23. But they're still No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and No. 3 in the coaches'. You can take shots at their conference schedule, but it didn't hurt them in nonconference games.

Count the mighty that have fallen to the Tigers this year: Oklahoma, UConn, USC, Georgetown, Arizona and Gonzaga, all of which helped earn Memphis a No. 1 seed in the NCAA. There, Calipari's team dispatched other big names: Mississippi State, Michigan State and Texas.

And now, Memphis (37-1) has become a part of college basketball history as one of four No. 1 seeds to make the Final Four. The Tigers face UCLA (35-3) Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

There may be the respect issue, but Calipari also said Wednesday on a conference call that he feels "people just haven't seen us play. One guy says something and that's what it is: 'They can't shoot free throws,' and all of a sudden there was a wildfire of 'That's what their team is.' Well, there's a lot of things we are."

One of them is motivated.

"It put a chip on our shoulder, gave us another reason to go out and play a little harder," Tigers junior guard Antonio Anderson said. "We've been doubted all year. We've been winning all season. It's just been something we've been doing. We've haven't gotten any respect for it."

The Tigers were getting dinged from all sides about the competitiveness of Conference USA. Outside Houston and Alabama-Birmingham, C-USA offered little resistance this season. The Tigers went 16-0 in conference play. They also got popped because of their free-throw shooting, which at 60.7 percent ranked near the bottom in Division I.

Other than that, Memphis has been talked about as the most talented and athletic team in the country. After back-to-back Elite Eight finishes, they're in the Final Four seeking more.

The Tigers aren't on national TV as much as Final Four counterparts North Carolina, Kansas and UCLA. But folks have to know about fabulous freshman Derrick Rose, the quickest point guard in the nation. He averages 14.6 points and 4.4 rebounds and figures to be a nightmare for UCLA's Darren Collison.

Then there is swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts (17.7 points, 4.2 rebounds). The long, wiry 6-foot-7 frame, the uncanny ability to put the ball in the basket, the running his man ragged, all reminiscent of former UConn star Richard Hamilton.

Robert Dozier (9.2, 6.8 rpg) and Joey Dorsey (7.1, 9.6) do it in the post offensively and defensively and should give UCLA's big man, Kevin Love, a challenge he hasn't seen in the Pac-10.

"The greatest thing for this team was they were on a mission and they still are," Calipari said. "I like their focus. I like their concentration, their intensity level. People that have watched us play, especially last weekend, were stunned at how hard they played, and how unselfish they played, and with how much intelligence they played. But they've done it all year. That's why our record is what it is."